Wrexham AFC: Steven Fletcher takes one transfer tag from Reynolds, McElhenney era | OneFootball

The addition of Steven Fletcher at Wrexham AFC may be the best under the radar signing of Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney era

Less is more is a common phrase we hear all the time, and in football, it’s often attributed to a super sub.

Since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney officially became the owners of Wrexham AFC in February 2021, we’ve seen many signings at the club that have made their mark quickly.

There have been so many players who joined the side from North Wales and made a lasting impression that supporters won’t soon forget. Interestingly, one of the biggest difference makers on the pitch since the takeover might not have even joined the team if not for the club missing a summer transfer deadline a couple of years ago.

As it turns out, missing that deadline may have been the best thing for Reynolds, McElhenney, and Wrexham.

Wrexham botched the Luke Armstrong deal

Fresh off their National League promotion, the Red Dragons were eager to add more firepower and replenish their squad ahead of the League Two campaign.

Phil Parkinson’s side seemed to have the personnel to challenge for the league title but had their eye on Luke Armstrong from Harrogate Town in hopes that he could add some more depth to their attack, with Paul Mullin set to miss a portion of that campaign because of a punctured lung.

Armstrong had plenty of experience at League Two level, scoring a dozen goals or more on two occasions. Wrexham and Harrogate Town agreed to the terms of a transfer for Armstrong, but the BBC reported that the deadline of 23:00 BST on September 1 had passed before the deal was finalised.

That mishap led to the club issuing a statement saying: “We wish to apologise to Luke as we were unable to complete the transfer by the deadline and Harrogate Town, who we are sure will be as disappointed as we are that the transfer will not now be completed in this window.”

It was not the finest moment for the club’s Hollywood owners, but sometimes, when one thing doesn’t work out, it means something better will come along.

At the time, missing out on Armstrong was a disappointment, but a few days later, the Red Dragons received a pretty good consolation prize in Steven Fletcher.

While the former Scotland international had plenty of prior top-flight experience at Hibernian, Burnley, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sunderland, and Marseille, he was 36 when he joined Wrexham, and many believed he had little left in the tank.

The BBC confirmed Fletcher’s signing on September 8, 2023, with Wrexham boss Parkinson singing the praises of the man twice voted Young Player of the Year by the Scottish Football Writers’ Association.

“His pedigree speaks for itself, and he’s played most of his career at a very high level. He’s an excellent professional, and that’s really important to fit in with the group here,” Parkinson said to the BBC.

Given his age upon signing, it may have been hard to believe what Parkinson had said, but looking back, that may be the most accurate statement ever made about a Wrexham player since the man from Chorley took charge.

While he’d never won a Golden Boot trophy, Fletcher had a reputation for being a consistent contributor who could shoulder the scoring load. He had netted double-digits in goals three times domestically at Sheffield Wednesday, scored over 50 career goals in the Premier League and had eight strikes with Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership in the 2022-23 campaign.

While he was still a solid contributor, few could have predicted just how much of an impact he’d make in North Wales.

Steven Fletcher made a strong early impact for Wrexham

Being on the wrong side of 30 will cause most football clubs at any level to be a little hesitant about making even a small commitment to that player. Fletcher, though, quickly showed that age is only a number and that he still had plenty to give.

The man who’d earned 33 caps for the Scotland national team, scoring 10 goals, was employed mostly off the bench in League Two for Wrexham, as his age did not allow him to have the stamina of a striker in their 20s, capable of playing at a high level for a full game.

On matchday 10 of the domestic campaign, Fletcher scored his first of many vital goals for Wrexham, netting a 95th equaliser versus Crewe Alexandra. He would score seven more for the Red Dragons in League Two that season, including a memorable hat-trick on New Year’s Day 2024 against Barrow in his 400th career EFL appearance, helping Wrexham to a 4-1 triumph.

That was one of the few times Parkinson inserted Fletcher in the starting 11, and he made the most of his opportunity. By that point, he had proven that he was a useful contributor to this team’s success, but it was clear that he couldn’t consistently start and finish matches and be a useful player. He wound up third on the team for goals scored this season after Mullin and Elliott Lee.

Wrexham earned a second successive promotion thanks to his contributions, finishing second in the table behind Stockport County.

Fletcher’s performances in League Two for Wrexham were so good that the club owners had to at least consider bringing him back for another campaign, even though he was 37.

Steven Fletcher’s decisive League One campaign at Wrexham

Even with his contributions in League Two, it was puzzling to some when the BBC announced in June 2024 that the Red Dragons had extended Fletcher’s contract for an additional season.

In 2024-25, he made his mark on matchday one, scoring the winner in a wild opening victory, 3-2, against Wycombe Wanderers. While he wouldn’t score another goal until December in league play, the exuberance and energy that he expended in his traditional 20–30 minutes of action seemed to trickle down to the rest of the team and kept their spirits up.

From mid-December to mid-January, Fletcher scored with a certain degree of regularity, keeping Wrexham in contention for an automatic promotion. Six of his eight goals in the 2024-25 League One campaign were match-winners, while he also assisted on arguably the biggest goal of the season, setting up Sam Smith’s winner at Wycombe in March, propelling his side into second place.

Fletcher once again played a huge role in this team’s success as they earned a historic third successive promotion, ending in second behind Birmingham City. While Fletcher had two fine seasons at Wrexham, his 2024-25 campaign may be one of his greatest as a footballer.

Per Transfermarkt, he played 1,047 League One minutes, averaging 0.69 goals per 90, the second-highest rating in the competition, according to FotMob. Meanwhile, according to FotMob, Fletcher led the league in expected goals per 90 (0.66) and shots on target per 90.

Fletcher is the most impactful transfer of the Reynolds/McElhenney era

He didn’t smash in as many goals as Mullin, Palmer, or Elliott Lee, but in his two seasons at Wrexham, few players did as much for this club in limited playing time as Fletcher.

That’s not taking anything away from what those aforementioned players have done, or Max Cleworth, Arthur Okonkwo, Ollie Rathbone and Ryan Barnett.

At the same time, Fletcher often came on when this team needed a boost, and the attack was stagnant. His presence and energy helped this team claim three points on many occasions when they probably deserved one or none.

While it’s difficult to single out what Wrexham player is most responsible for their success in the Reynolds and McElhenney era, Fletcher’s performances in limited action pop out.

His achievements off the bench rival some of this team’s greatest super subs, like Hector Sam and Adrian Cieslewicz.

For a player who rarely featured for more than half an hour per match, Fletcher has given the Red Dragons a lifetime's worth of memories.